Mary Berry’s Delicious Plum Crumble

Serves 4-6

A good crumble contains the right balance of fat to flour and has the texture of fine breadcrumbs. If there is too much fat the topping will melt, if too little the result will be dry. Rub the butter into the flour gently; never mash it with your fingers, and don’t make the texture too fine or the topping will be stodgy.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180oC (fan 160°C/350°F/Gas 4). Lay the plums in the 26cm pie dish from my latest range. Sprinkle the fruit with the sugar and water.

Make the crumble topping: place the flour in a bowl and add the butter. Rub the butter into the flour, then stir in the sugar.

Scatterthe crumble topping evenly over the plums. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling. Test the plums with a skewer to see if they are tender; if not, cover the crumble with foil and bake for a further 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with cream or custard.